3 Reasons to write your novel first and format later

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Many of our writers look for formatting options when they first try Novelize. They want to be able to indent paragraphs and have it show up that way when they export their work. Some of them want to adjust the line spacing, font, font color, and background color before they type a single word in their novel.

We get it. You’re used to doing things a certain way.

If you’re particular about how your novel is formatted before you have even written it, then Novelize isn’t for you. There’s only one thing that matters for Novelize writers: getting that novel written.

1.      To format is to procrastinate

Formatting your novel before you have created an outline or started on the first chapter is just another form of procrastination. Be honest, how much time do you spend on setting up your novel, determining the appropriate margins, selecting a font and font size, and more? If it’s more than a minute or two, it’s probably too much time.

2.      Different uses require different formats

You don’t even know which format you’ll end up needing once your novel is done. Maybe it turned out to be just a short story after all. Then you’d be submitting it under different guidelines altogether. Maybe you plan on publishing it as an eBook. Your formatting will have to be adjusted, depending on which format you end up using, whether that’s PDF, ePub, or Mobi. Formatting it now, before you have written it, is work that will have to be done again, when you’re ready to publish.

3.       Formatting can be automated

Since formatting your novel can be automated, there’s really no reason for you to be doing it. At Novelize, we have created a manuscript that’s already formatted to meet most manuscript submission requirements. Here is what the manuscript export entails:

  • Times New Roman Font

  • 12-point font, double spaced

  • Your contact information in the top left corner of the title page

  • Word Count (rounded to the nearest thousand)

  • Author name, title of novel, and page number on the top right of every page

And if something is slightly off in your final manuscript, then you can tweak those details when you’re ready.

Get that novel written first!

We may add additional formatting options in the future, for those of you who have to have things looking just right to feel the muse. But when it comes down to it, Novelize is never going to offer you an endless variety of formatting options. That’s because we don’t think you need to be formatting right now. Instead, you should be writing.